The main Messenger window that contains your contacts has changed somewhat. Included on the left hand side is a "social stream" of updates provided by Windows Live. These are updates from your Messenger contacts and the data is provided by Windows Live. In current public Messenger builds some of this integration is present at the top of a conversation window. Windows Live Messenger aims to add to this by using the "social stream" as a showcase for your contacts updates. Providing your friends have including their Facebook, Twitter and Blog posts into Windows Live then you will see this in the stream.

One of the main improvements for Windows Live Messenger 2010 is the introduction of tabbed messenger conversations ... Windows Live Writer Wave 4 has also been improved with the introduction of the ribbon interface seen in most other Windows Live applications.

Looks interesting, though I'd love to see the Windows Live guys really go for it and do the full-blown WPF interface. You never know.

Discuss this Article 17

I haven't used IM in a while now but I really hate how much MS is pushing advertising outside of websites and the browser.
This app now has a huge ad-box, which display stuff akin to hideous flash apps, my hotmail account I won't even mention(at least I have the option to get rid of those).
The worst offender has got to be my Xbox 360 dashboard. The ads have been creeping in at an alarming rate recently Anytime I sign in to the thing now it's a complete eyesore. Spotlight is 20% marketplace content, 80% ads, the new Community channel has Facebook, ad, ad, twitter for selections as well. It's horrible. And I actually PAY for gold service on this thing. How is this golden exactly?
/rant off

Nothing new that I know of.
Its just with all this twitter (I dont/wont use) facebook and other stuff, via cell phones and stuff, IM has kind of died. I have not touched it in a long time. Besides any smart company will block employees from having it, or connecting to IM servers outside of the company. I try to get away from my computer at home after 8 hours in front of it doing IT work.
If I had to use a IM client, it would never be a client from MS or the others, as they are full of crap, some of you cant turn off. There were a few good free alternatives like pidgin that were nice and slimmed down.

IM serves quite different needs from Twitter, Facebook, and SMS/MMS.
IM is designed for real-time text conversation. Although you can use other tools to do the same, they are much more awkward, overkill, or less featured.

I use IM far more frequently than any other form of electronic communication at work. It's much easier and faster than email and less annoying than voice calls. I also webcam with my girlfriend frequently via messenger when we're not able to spend time together.

rr0de74
I know a couple of technology vendors that use corporate versions of IM clients for daily business use that allows for safe IM on corporate networks. I am surprised that you would ask that question. In conjunction with mobile devices and wifi cafes, corporate IM software can allow contact, file transfer, and many other features. Corporate IM can cut down phone calls and open additional opportunities. I have seen many people working from mobile devices from coffee houses via corporate IM.

What I Use

Like many, I was hoping to see a new Lumia flagship before the end of 2014, and while I was pleasantly surprised in some ways by both the Lumia 735 and 830, neither offers the level of performance or best-in-market camera quality I had come to expected from Microsoft/Nokia's high-end devices. So I pulled the trigger on an unlocked Windows Phone flagship that will hopefully take me through at least the first half of this year. Or until Microsoft gets off its low-end fixation and satisfies the needs of its biggest fans....More

It's been a while since the last What I Use, but there haven't been many major changes since late last year: Surface Pro 3 has become my go-to travel companion, I've added a third cellphone line for testing Windows Phone, Android and iPhone side-by-side, and have rotated through some new tablets and other devices. We've also switched from FIOS to Comcast and added to our set-top box collection....More